


I've Got You

by Demi_Fae



Series: Whumptober 2020 [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Raised a Sith Anakin Skywalker, Sith Anakin Skywalker, you could probably read this as pre- slash if you wanted to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26824324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demi_Fae/pseuds/Demi_Fae
Summary: Obi-Wan remembers the battle. He remembers the sight of blaster bolts flying across the field. Clones screaming in fear and agony all around him. He remembers desperately blocking the shots and killing droids as they overwhelm him and his men. He remembers thinking that there’s nothing he can do to protect his padawan behind him.It's a surprise to open his eyes again.-Day 7: Support | Carrying |Enemy to Caretaker
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Series: Whumptober 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1930612
Comments: 13
Kudos: 114





	I've Got You

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, trust me, the summary is way worse than the actual fic. It, somehow, turned into a short one-shot hurt/comfort fic rather than a short drabble idea I had, so. Enjoy!
> 
> The reason for the timeskips/general disjointedness is because originally I just had two scenes and then I added stuff but I didn't wanna actually write all of it, so. Timeskips/General Disjointedness it is. Some parts also fly by really fast because,,, I just wanted 1k/day, and this ended up being 3.5k already, I didn't wanna make it even longer.

Obi-Wan remembers the battle. He remembers the sight of blaster bolts flying across the field. Clones screaming in fear and agony all around him. He remembers desperately blocking the shots and killing droids as they overwhelm him and his men. He remembers thinking that there’s nothing he can do to protect his padawan behind him. 

Then there’s a flash of black in his memory, a sizzle of red in the air and a tingle that represents a Sith in the Force. Obi-Wan doesn’t know how he knows, but he’s certain it was Vader. Vader, who’s been a pain in the Republic’s side for longer than they can count, and who always seems to be in just the right place at the right time to throw off their plans. 

Obi-Wan knows that there’s nothing he can do to stop the Sith in this state. He’s exhausted after hours of battle. He can barely find the strength to keep blocking shots from the droids and yet still some slip by. There’s pain radiating from every inch of his body and if Vader wanted to he could easily slip his saber between Obi-Wan’s ribs. 

Then Vader was there and Obi-Wan remembers thinking that that was it. He braced himself for the split-second of pain that would come with a burn, then the relief of joining the Force that would come after. Obi-Wan hopes that his shields are strong enough to stop Ahsoka from feeling his death- she would still feel the pain of the bond snapping, but hopefully nothing more. She shouldn’t have to go through what he did, when Qui-Gon was killed. 

In his distraction Obi-Wan must have been hit by a stray bolt because there wasn’t a lot he remembered after that. More flashes of red and the heat of a saber pressed close to his skin are the most vivid. The sounds of the clones firing their blasters nearby and Ahsoka yelling above everything else. Everything blurs together until he can’t distinguish one moment from the next. He thought dying would be more peaceful, but it seems that the Force is determined to never let him rest. Obi-Wan let himself slip into darkness, and hoped that someone would look after Ahsoka and the clones in his stead. 

It was a surprise to open his eyes again. For a few moments Obi-Wan was convinced that the Force had rejected him, let him wander the galaxy alone and forgotten until he’d proven himself. But no, Obi-Wan still felt pain. He didn't think that he would feel that if he was dead- but then, who would know? He can still move, he thinks- and almost threw up as he tried to sit up. He immediately collapsed back onto his cot and laid back, panting. 

The pain was everywhere. His limbs are aching and sore and he must have cracked a few ribs without noticing during the battle. Unsurprising, as Obi-Wan usually falls into a battle meditation to funnel out the pain to deal with later. It’s not the most healthy way to deal, but Obi-Wan knows that many knights and masters have been doing the same thing during the war. 

Obi-Wan turned his head to the side. He knew he wasn’t in _The Negotiator’s_ medbay or Suture would have already come to yell at him. He wasn’t on any ship for that matter- Obi-Wan was on a roll on the ground, in a cave by the looks of it. Water dripped from the ceiling into puddles. There was no one around that he could sense, but then who had taken him here? Who had taken him from the field and rescued him from Vader- or, was he still with the Sith? 

Obi-Wan grit his teeth again and forced himself upright. His breath was the loudest thing in the room as he tried to find the state in which he could push down and ignore his injuries for a time. It wasn’t working so far. Obi-Wan could swear he felt each individual nerve on fire as he shifted. 

Distantly Obi-Wan could feel a presence coming closer to him in the cave. Footsteps echoed their way down to him and harsh breathing soon followed. Obi-Wan tried to stand on shaky legs, using the walls of the cave as support. Every shift of a muscle sent pain rippling through every bit of his body and thousands of shards of glass stabbed into his joints. His vision went hazy then black and Obi-Wan forced one foot in front of him to try to escape before falling back to his cot with a cry. 

“Don’t move,” a voice too close to Obi-Wan commanded. He startled and whipped his head around, trying to ignore the pain that came with that as he faced the figure of Vader in the cave opening. He must have blotted out the approach of the Sith, too focused on his own pain, and Obi-Wan didn’t believe he could have been so stupid. He tensed as Vader walked closer to Obi-Wan, but the Sith didn’t make a move against him. “You’re hurt.”

“And whose fault is that?” Obi-Wan bit through his teeth. He mentally kicked himself. This was a Sith Apprentice, one who surely wouldn’t care about injuring Obi-Wan more than he already was if he spoke against him. 

To Obi-Wan’s surprise, Vader just turned away and didn’t answer. He walked to the far wall to sit down on the ground, staring at Obi-Wan all the while. He couldn’t help but be wary of the mask Vader was wearing, a frightening thing which ensured no emotion was shown. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but wonder if Vader had chosen it himself or if it had been given to him. He didn't seem like the type to wear such a thing of his own volition.  


“I am going to keep you here until I am able to bring you back to my ship, where you will be taken to my master,” Vader said. Obi-Wan’s interest piqued at the slight tremble he heard in the Sith’s voice. He scoffed when the words replayed in his brain. 

“Who, Dooku? I’ve fought and escaped him before, and I can do it again.” 

“Dooku is not my master.” Vader said it in a tone that could melt durasteel. 

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. If Dooku wasn’t the Master, that meant there was a third Sith like the Council had suspected. “Then who is, Darth? This mysterious Sith Lord we’ve heard so much about?” 

“I-” Vader stopped himself with a growl. “You will not get whatever information you want out of me, Jedi.”

“No?” Obi-Wan asked. He had a hunch about Vader. Obi-Wan was hurt, yes, but if the Sith truly didn’t care they could have left the planet long ago. Vader had carried him away from the battlefield, he could carry him to his ship. No, the Sith was stalling for whatever reason. There was no evidence to support what he felt but his instincts and the purring of the Force around him, and so Obi-Wan trusted that instinct and took a shot in the dark. 

“If we are still in this cave and not aboard your ship, I have to assume that my men have found where you stashed your ship. There’s too much risk in transporting me as I am to go and fight, it would slow you down and get you caught. So, Darth-” Obi-Wan watched the man carefully, seeing him tense with every word. “-we have to wait here for me to heal just enough to be transported. And what is there for me to do but weedle information out of you?” 

Vader walked towards Obi-Wan with malice that was nearly tangible. Had he pushed too far? Obi-Wan was in no state to fight off a tooka let alone a Sith but he tensed anyway, in preparation to fight. Instead, Vader lifted a hand to Obi-Wan’s head and placed his fingers on his skin. 

“Sleep,” he commanded. Obi-Wan tried to resist the Force Suggestion. It was clumsy and undirected, no finesse to it at all- it could barely be called a suggestion. But it was overwhelming in its power, waves that crashed against Obi-Wan’s own mind, desperately trying to resist, until he was drowning under waves of exhaustion. Obi-Wan could see just the barest hint of light, of consciousness, before the inky waves covered that as well.

* * *

Obi-Wan didn’t think more than a few hours had passed before he woke up again. He was still in pain, unfortunately. Obi-Wan didn’t think that his aches would be miraculously healed overnight, but he could hope. 

Vader had gone back to his resting area on the ground across from Obi-Wan, and was still there watching him. A small fire burned nearby and Vader had a small pot boiling over the top. Vader’s mask was still in place though his harsh breathing had quieted. 

“So you’re awake.” 

Obi-Wan ignored Vader’s attempt to talk for a few moments to slip into a light meditation. He fought through the pain of his headache to reach Ahsoka. Obi-Wan could feel her worry, but she was too far to pass along information easily, and he cursed. Getting information from Vader was one of his goals, but unless he was rescued anything he learned would be useless. He’d either have to wait until Ahsoka was closer or until Vader let down his guard enough for Obi-Wan to comm her. He might have tried running, but even Obi-Wan could admit he was in no shape to be moving any time soon. 

Obi-Wan waited a few more seconds before turning back to Vader. “What is it you’re making?” 

“Food.” Vader gestured to the fire. 

Obi-Wan could have rolled his eyes- did- at the Sith’s answer. “Yes, I could see that. I meant what is in it?” 

“Well, you should have just asked that,” Vader snarked back. Obi-Wan’s eye twitched. Before he could retort Vader continued to speak. “Some small lizards crawling around near the mouth of the cave. I figured a soup might help you regain some of your strength, so- here.” 

Vader waved his hand and floated a small bowl over to himself. He filled it with, presumably, soup, before sending it to Obi-Wan without lifting a finger. 

Obi-Wan pursed his lips as he accepted the food. He should be grateful to Vader, the man didn’t have to feed his prisoner, but he couldn’t bring himself to be thankful. “Frivolous use of the Force,” he muttered into the broth. 

Vader scoffed, an ugly sound through the vocodor. “Why would the Force care? It’s not like it would be wasted.” 

“The Force is a cosmic power that stretches the expanse of time and space, it should not be disrespected by being used to send a bowl a few meters!” 

Obi-Wan could almost  _ hear _ Vader roll his eyes behind his mask. 

“Just shut up and drink your soup,” he replied. 

Obi-Wan hid a small smirk as he did just that, and his eyes widened in surprise once he tasted the soup. It was very good, he had to admit. Before too long he’d finished his bowl, and the seconds he’d also been given. Even though his aches had barely subsided he felt the urge to sleep growing stronger with warm food in his stomach. 

Vader, it seemed, had noticed as well. “You need more rest.” 

“Are you going to try to Force me again?” Obi-Wan doubted he could fend off one of Vader’s suggestions at full strength, the man’s power was truly overwhelming. Of course, it wasn’t that Obi-Wan would resist now if Vader did try- the man hadn’t hurt him at all, had even taken care of him, fed him, and he was so tired now...

“Do I need to?” 

“Hm?” Obi-Wan struggled to keep his eyes open. His cot was, admittedly, quite comfortable, and everything was warm. The only annoyance was he could almost swear he felt his fever rising by the minute, and was not looking forward to the coming days. 

Vader let out a slight laugh and whispered something Obi-Wan couldn’t quite make out before he drifted off, by his own will this time.

* * *

“Why are you taking care of me?” Obi-Wan croaked. He was still lying on his cot, had barely moved from it the past few days. His fever was too high to even feel comfortable sitting up. Vader was nearby like he always was, though now he was quietly dabbing Obi-Wan’s sweat from his forehead. Even through Obi-Wan’s blurred vision he could see Vader freeze, then carefully resume his motions. 

“This is not a kindness.” Vader’s voice wasn’t as deep without his vocorder. He sounded younger than Obi-Wan had assumed- twenty, twenty-five at most he would guess. Obi-Wan still couldn’t make out his face under the hood, but he’d guess that there was a youthful face to match. The yellow eyes, however- the eyes of a Sith, those glowed in the darkness. “This is me, keeping you alive until I can take you to the Seperatists.” 

Obi-Wan chuckled and raised an eyebrow, even though it caused him to cough and pain to lance through his chest. “No, this is not how you treat a prisoner. Those you barely keep alive, on the constant edge of weakness so they have no chance to gain the upper hand. This, Vader, is 'a kindness'.”

Vader flinched and looked away. “I don’t know,” he whispered. 

“You don’t know? You don’t know why you saved your enemy and are now taking care of him-” Obi-Wan cut himself off and his airflow was cut off. 

“Enough,” Vader growled. Obi-Wan coughed and rubbed his throat as Vader allowed him to breathe again. Though Force- choking didn’t leave any visible marks, Obi-Wan could almost swear he felt bruises on his neck. 

“You can delude yourself all you’d like, Vader, I am not a prisoner here,” Obi-Wan forced out. 

Vader chuckled. “No? Then leave.” 

Obi-Wan glared up at him and winced as pain shot through his head. They both fell silent again, refusing to even look at the other though it was difficult with how close they were. A cough started to build up in Obi-Wan’s chest and pain radiated from his ribs as he tried to hold it in. After a few moments he couldn’t hold it in any longer and his hacking rang in the cave. His body curled in on himself even though it hurt to move. 

When he was finished Obi-Wan fell limp back onto the cot, completely exhausted. He was still breathing heavily, just from a cough- though it felt like he was about to cough up a lung. 

“Turn onto your stomach.” 

“I’m sorry, what?” Obi-Wan asked weakly. If Vader was sincerely suggesting he move now, when he barely had enough energy to curl into a ball. 

“Your bandages, on your back, they- need to be changed.” 

Obi-Wan scoffed, then coughed again. “You take care of me, choke me, and then expect me to let you get close again. Tell me Vader-”

“Anakin,” Vader interrupted. “Call me Anakin.”

Obi-Wan hesitated. Could he really call the sworn enemy of the Jedi by his first name? 

“Well, Anakin,” Apparently he could. “My question still applies. Why should I trust you?” 

Vader-  _ Anakin _ drew back and looked away. “You shouldn’t.” Obi-Wan stared up at the Sith’s face, hidden in the shadows of his hood, and nodded to himself. It took more effort than it should have, but in a few seconds Obi-Wan hauled himself over onto his side despite the protests of his body. 

“What are you doing?” 

“What does it look like? I’m waiting for you to redress my injuries that you  _ oh so helpfully _ caused.” Light touches traced the skin of Obi-Wan’s back, catching on scars old and new. With a ripple in the Force, Obi-Wan assumed Anakin had summoned bacta and bandages. 

Obi-Wan hissed as his dressings were exposed to the air once again, and Anakin immediately did his best to rub bacta into the various injuries. He was inexperienced at first aid, unsurprising, and Obi-Wan let out a grunt as he pushed too hard in some parts. 

“I’m sorry,” Anakin whispered. 

Obi-Wan hummed. “It wasn’t that bad, just be more gentle in the future.” 

“Not that- I mean, yes that, but it wasn’t what I meant.” Anakin fell silent again as he made his way down Obi-Wan’s back. 

Obi-Wan tried to relax back against the blankets. He knew it was his original plan to get information from Anakin, but he couldn’t help but learn who the man was behind the Sith mask- even his name. He’d only known Anakin for a few days and most of those were a blur from his persistent fever. 

"Then what are you apologizing for?" 

"Causing these, I suppose," Anakin chuckled, and Obi-Wan with him. He relaxed back into the simple feeling of someone taking care of him- bandaging his wounds and touching him, care that he hadn't had from anyone but the medics and Ahsoka in quite some time. 

“I cannot wait until this pointless war is over.” Obi-Wan felt the words slip through his lips. It wasn’t a surprise- well, speaking them was, but it had been on his mind since the beginning, had barely left it after the first battle. Speaking them aloud was startling, but also a relief to admit it to someone other than himself.  


Anakin stopped rubbing bacta into his back, then started again a few moments later. 

“What do you mean?” They were on the edge of something here, Obi-Wan could feel it in the Force- what, he didn’t know. He could only hope it was something good. 

“Every battle we fight it feels like three more we lose. Hundreds of our men die every minute and yet thousands more are being made- for what? A war that had no end in sight? They are being forced to fight battles that make nearly no lasting impact, no matter how much we pretend otherwise, and the Jedi can’t do anything about it, backed into the corner that we are.” Obi-Wan buried his face deeper into his pillow as a headache began to form. “‘It’s just… pointless.” 

“Aren’t you fighting for your Republic, your freedoms?” Anakin sneered, though there was an undercurrent of something else in his tone. Obi-Wan had never known Anakin to be careful with his words. 

“For a Senate full of corrupt politicians, serving people they don’t care about,” Obi-Wan snorted. Of course, not all of them were like that. Bail and Padmé, for example, but they were a few clean drops in a polluted ocean. “Every day it feels like we are more and more held to the whims of the Senate without our own choices.”

Obi-Wan could hear Anakin swallow behind him. He’d stopped applying the bacta at some point during Obi-wan’s speech, but Obi-Wan couldn’t be sure when. He craned his head around to stare at the Sith- blonde hair and white face revealed from under his hood. 

“Anakin, are you alright?” Obi-Wan couldn’t help but take a few more moments to stare at him, the young face of the fearsome Vader which had been revealed to him. 

“I need to leave,” Anakin dropped the jar of bacta onto Obi-Wan’s cot and stumbled back, standing up and rushing off. He was practically running, Obi-Wan noticed, though he wasn’t sure from what. Obi-Wan, or something in himself.  


* * *

It was the middle of the night when Anakin came back to the cave, stomping about and disturbing Obi-Wan from his rest. Rest that Anakin had been so sure Obi-Wan needed, he’d soon be reminded. 

Obi-Wan propped himself up on his elbows as Anakin approached. He looked frantic and Obi-Wan frowned, about to ask why, when he was interrupted. 

“Come with me,” Anakin demanded. 

“Wait, Anakin-” Anakin must have decided that even those words were wasting too much time and Obi-Wan hissed as he was picked up by the other man. "Ow ow ow-"

"I'm sorry- we need to go-" Vader- Anakin- seemed panicked as he headed for the cave entrance. It was quiet when they left, the only sounds around them that of various insects and small animals. Obi-Wan could just make out the far- off sounds of soldiers marching, and something like hope and dread welled in his chest. 

“Where are we going,” Obi-Wan whispered into Anakin’s ear. He could be taking Obi-Wan to his ship now, panicking at the thought of Obi-Wan’s men finding them, but that didn’t seem right. 

“I’m taking you back to your men.” 

Obi-Wan reeled back to stare at Anakin’s face.  _ He was serious, _ Obi-Wan realized. No matter how long he was given Obi-Wan never would have thought that a Sith would ever willingly set a Jedi free from their grasp. He should be overjoyed, and yet he was just worried. From what little Anakin had told him over the days Sidious did not seem like they type to let failure off lightly. 

“What? Anakin, you’ll be captured-”

“I’ll leave you where you’ll be found by them, not hand you over personally-” 

“Your master-”

“He won’t get rid of me, not yet.” 

“Wha-”

“No, Obi-Wan! You can’t go to Sidious, you’re needed here. I won’t let you die in this pointless war,” Anakin hissed. They were both silent as he carried Obi-Wan out to the tree line. There wouldn’t be any chance of his troopers missing him out here, Obi-Wan knew. It should have been a relief to be going back to his men and his ship, and yet… He couldn’t deny that he didn’t want to leave Anakin either. 

There was a slight hiss of pain from Obi-Wan as he was settled onto the ground. Anakin paused to let Obi-Wan adjust, then withdrew his arms. Obi-Wan missed them immediately. 

Anakin turned back away to walk, presumably, to where his ship was hidden. 

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan called out. “You don’t have to be a Sith. You can do- you can  _ be  _ good.” 

Anakin stopped and turned around, and smiled at Obi-Wan. “Thank you, for believing that.” 

Anakin turned and disappeared from Obi-Wan’s sight as the sound of boots came ever closer. Obi-Wan watched as the Sith disappeared, and realized after he was gone- Anakin’s eyes had been blue. 

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my lord this one took forever to write. Like, I try to have these prompts done a few days in advance so I just have to read it the day of before posting but this? Took me until today to write finish. Also, you'd think I'd have more time to write if all I'm doing is watching a kitten, but that is surprisingly distracting. I just wanna pet him all the time. 
> 
> You can yell at me on tumblr at [rynae-reblogs](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/rynae-reblogs)
> 
> EDIT: I wrote a little bit of a follow up to this [here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27072871)


End file.
